"His killer is still around, so it needs to be known that his mother is still here to fight for him," Willis said.

Willis is among the 17 families in Kansas City fighting for an arrest in the slaying of a loved one this year. This week, city leaders shared new crime statistics showing the city on pace to show a 30 percent decline in homicides.

"When you meet the people who've lost someone in their lives, for them it's 100 percent," said Kansas City Mayor Sly James.

Willis now helps raise her grandchildren: Zoey, 3, and 3-month-old Alonzo Thomas V, named for a father he'll never meet.

Willis said she keeps her son's case alive for them.

"If I was to sit down, (the killer) would know, ah, it's over with. No one is looking for me anymore," she said. "That's not going to be the case. I'm going to continue."

A $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction is still available. Anyone who can help police is asked to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.